Gonorrhea Test
Reviewed
Also called: GC test, gonorrhea DNA probe test, gonorrhea nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT), GC culture
A gonorrhea test looks for signs of a gonorrhea bacterial infection in a sample of your urine (pee) or saliva.
Specimen: Urine or swab from urethra, cervix, vagina, throat, rectum, or eyes
Why this test may be ordered
- To screen for a gonorrhea infection when you have no symptoms but may have been exposed
- To diagnose or rule out gonorrhea when you have symptoms such as unusual discharge, pain when urinating, or rectal symptoms
- Often done together with a chlamydia test because the infections have similar symptoms and can occur together
Preparation and collection
Your provider will tell you how to prepare for your test. If you are taking antibiotics, let your provider know. For a urine test, you may need to avoid urinating for two hours before the test. If you have a cervical or vaginal swab, you may need to avoid vaginal douches or creams for a day before the test.
To do a gonorrhea test, you will need to provide a sample of fluid from the part of your body that may be infected. You use a sterile cup to collect urine from the very first part of your urine stream. Your provider will use a special swab or brush to gather fluid and cells, usually from the genital area (the urethra or the vagina).
There are no known risks to having a gonorrhea test. You may feel brief discomfort if you have a swab sample taken from the urethra at the tip of the penis. You may also feel discomfort from a cervical swab and/or experience vaginal bleeding or other discharge.
Understanding results
After you are infected with gonorrhea, it may take weeks before you test positive.
- Negative (normal): A negative (or normal) test result means that a gonorrhea infection wasn't found in your sample. Limitation: But it doesn't rule out gonorrhea. So, it's possible that the test was taken too soon after your exposure to the bacteria. Next step: If you have questions about your results, talk with your provider.
- Positive (abnormal): A positive (or abnormal) test result means that you are infected with the gonorrhea bacteria. Limitation: Some types of gonorrhea bacteria are becoming resistant to certain antibiotics. If your symptoms don't improve after treatment, your provider may order an antibiotic "susceptibility test." Next step: You will need treatment with antibiotics right away. You will also need to tell your sex partner or partners so that they can be tested and treated if necessary.
- A negative test result does not rule out gonorrhea if the test is taken too soon after exposure (it may take weeks to become positive).
- Some types of gonorrhea bacteria are becoming resistant to certain antibiotics, which may affect treatment success.
What to do next
To make sure your infection is cured, take all your medicine following your provider's instructions. You should also avoid having sex for at least 7 days and take another test three months after completing treatment.
- What are my risk factors for gonorrhea?
- Should I be tested for other STIs like chlamydia, syphilis, or HIV?
- How soon after exposure can this test detect gonorrhea?
- What should I do if my test is positive?
- Can I use an at-home test kit, and how reliable is it?
Evidence source
Source: U.S. National Library of Medicine (MedlinePlus). Practices and reference ranges may differ in your country.